I don't know if this will help but I was trying to output a 1920x1080 MP4 this weekend and it kept on letter boxing it to 1440x1080 (black bars top and bottom). I had to unlink the aspect aspect ratio check box and explicitly set the frame width and height while leaving pixels set to "square".

1. You need to scale the photos up to fit the sequence size in the Effects controls tab.

OR

2. You need a smaller sequence size to fit the photos.

The other problem is that you turned the camera sideways for some of the images. You can either scale them up and lose the top and bottom of the image or leave black bars on either side of the image. For those kinds of images, I usually scale to fill the screen and then animate the photos to move from top to bottom or vice versa.

Your other images are not the size of the sequence either, so scaling the image up will lose some of the image.

If you want a sequence the same size as your image, you can create one automatically by drag/dropping it onto the New Item button in the Project panel.

Yes, I know that some of the photos are in landscape while others are in portrait. I dont expect the portrait photos to fill a landscape screen.

Guess I have to play more around with Premiere Pro, just bought Production Premium end Nov 2011.

In the end there seem to be not too many screen/project dimensions selectable for HD there are 1080p and 720p or so. Maybe there is a setting somewhere where I dont have to select an option out of a list but can adapt the sequence size to my picture size (e.g. 1265pxx821px)

...there seem to be not too many screen/project dimensions selectable for HD there are 1080p and 720p or so. Maybe there is a setting somewhere where I dont have to select an option out of a list but can adapt the sequence size to my picture size (e.g. 1265pxx821px)

Yes, you can even drag/drop a representative photo onto the New Item button. It will create an ideal sequence setting for you automatically.

Tried that and it creates a 29.97pps movie but I want a 10fps movie. Found that 10fps is better for slide shows because it creates smaller rendered files (theoretically). It also seems the frame rate can not be changed

*I have also managed to crach Premiere Pro a few time in a row.

Created a new project, Imported the Photos and then attempted to create a new Sequence. There I just went to " settings" to change the scene settings and got a crash...the second time I managed to type in some values like 10fps but then it sais the Preset doesnt exist and I have to make a new one...tried that and the Premiere Pro crashes.

2) Took any of the Presets, changed the size to 800x.600 and then the fps to 10...crash

3) Took any of the Presets, changed the size to 800x.600 and then the fps to 10...got a message that a preset with those parameters doesnt exist and that I have to make a new one OK...I went to SAVE PRESET, gave it a name and CRASH

4) Took any of the Presets, changed the size to 800x.600 and then the fps to 10...got a message that a preset with those parameters doesnt exist and that I have to make a new one OK...I went to SAVE PRESET, gave it a name and CRASH again and again...

I think you actually need to click first on the "General" tab (not on Custom), and make your settings there. If you want to have the settings saved as a preset for a next time, click "Save Preset" at the bottom.

Edit: sorry; you obviously figured that part out. Set the editing mode to desktop.

I think you have a point. The dialog should say, "Choose the Custom setting for non-standard codecs" and then switch over to that setting. It could also just cancel you out of that process and throw you back to the New Sequence dialog.

As it stands, choosing a non-standard frame rate or frame size, you'd need to go to the Editing Mode and choose "Custom" for Premiere Pro CS5.5. For Premiere Pro CS5 and earlier, choose the "Desktop" preset. This is how you make sequences for things like web banners and digital signage.

I'll try to make this clearer in documentation. Anyone want to make a video tutorial about Custom settings? It would be a great piece of content to place into Help.